Argentina's Senate has approved a bill that declares a State of Emergency in the country's apple and pear industry in the regions of Neuquén and Río Negro, according to local media. 

Publication Rio Negro reported the upper house voted unanimously in favor of the bill, which will see various measures implemented to support the sector that has been under crisis for a prolonged period of time.

The state of emergency will last for one year, according to the story.

"The intention of making this exceptional tool available, is to provide the Executive Power the necessary framework for it to implement measures that will allow the fruit sector to cope with the prolonged crisis that has been going on for a long time but has been made worse by very unfavorable circumstances," Neuquén Senator Lucila Crexell was quoted as saying.

The bill will allow the government to make changes to tax obligations and social security.

"As lawmakers we will use the only instrument that is within our reach to enable the government to provide the urgent measures required to deal with the suffocating situation experienced by a sector that generates about 60,000 jobs in our region," Crexell added.

www.freshfruitportal.com